After three months, feedback on film incentives mostly positive

Sen. Jason Allen, R-Traverse City, hosted a hearing on the pros and cons of the 16 bills, which offer the largest tax credits in the country to the film industry, looking for local feedback on the burgeoning program.

"We believe the tax credits will be a net benefit to the state treasury," said Allen. "Now we are just feeling out what the strengths and weaknesses are for the package as a whole."

According to the Michigan Film Office director Janet Lockwood, the response from Hollywood has been overwhelming. In the three months since the passage of the bills, her office received 84 production applications and already approved half of them. Last year there were just three films produced in Michigan, which generated about $8 million. Lockwood estimated the 42 approved projects would generate over $300 million for the state in the coming year.

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"We are seeing an influx we didn't anticipate," she said.

Although she could not release many details, Lockwood said that an independent film production about a boys' summer camp starring Christopher Walken is already in talks to film the Petoskey area within the next year.

"It's a fairly good sized budget, and a great script," said Lockwood. "I can't say much more because it has a big 'C' on its file for confidential. When they ask for that we tend to give it to them."

The bipartisan package of bills is not just designed to bring film crews to the state, it is also designed to lure film infrastructure here, and Michigan native Harold Cronk has already started that process with his company 10 West Studios. He and his partners established an office in Scottville, and plan to make a series of films within the $3-7 million range.

"I always wanted to come back home to make films because so much of my stories are based on growing up here," he said. "These incentives are making that possible."

Cronk said that he is also in negotiations with Crystal Sky Pictures to bring a major film production to his studios, and added that he has been contacted by a dozen other companies that are interested in filming in Michigan.

"We plan to reinvest capitol to make a complete film production studio," he said. "All of sudden everything we hoped for has become possible."

Although Allen and his colleagues Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Holland, and Sen. Hansen Clarke, D-Detroit, heard mostly positive feedback on the program, they were made aware of some serious drawbacks.

Filmmaker Michael Moore said that he is a big proponent of the bill package, but pointed out the job training aspects needed to be pushed to the forefront to avoid production companies importing their own laborers.

"We have a skilled work force in Michigan eager for these new jobs, we don't have to start from scratch. Their skills will transfer over to filmmaking," he said. "But you have to really mean it."

Lockwood agreed with Moore and said that her biggest problem is the lack of crew availability across the state. Currently only one college, Grand Rapids Community College in connection with Tic Tock Studios, offers a program to teach students the skills needed to work on films.

"I've been contacted by at least a dozen other schools that want to develop programs for their students," said Lockwood, whose office has grown to seven employees from two in the last year. "But I need another staff member dedicated to job training to help these schools develop a curriculum."

While many came to the hearing to express their support for the incentive package, some small business owners spoke about their displeasure to see the film industry get tax breaks while they are struggling with their own tax bills.